Designed for those starting or caring for
a vegetable garden\, this course will include discussion of soil and nutr
ient management\, seed selection\, crop rotation schemes\, seeding and pla
nting\, pest management and specific plant cultivation\, all in the contex
t of the different vegetable groups. Each week\, students will investigate
a different vegetable family to insure all questions are answered about c
ultivation of these important food groups including Fabaceae (peas/beans/o
ther legumes)\, greens (lettuce/mustards/arugula/mache and more)\, herbs (
perennial and annual)\, perennial vegetables (asparagus/rhubarb/horseradis
h) \, Chenopodiaceae (beet/chard family)\, Brassicaceae (cabbage/cauliflow
er/kale/brussels sprout family)\, Cucurbitaceae (squash/pumpkin/cucumber/m
elon family) \,Poeaceae (corn family)\, Allioideae (onion/garlic/leek/shal
lot family) and Solanaceae (tomato/potato/eggplant/pepper family). This cl
ass can be taken as a core requirement for the Horticulture Certificate Le
vel II program\, or as an individual class.

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Instructor – Peter Salinetti\, B.S. \,with wife Jennowns Woven Roots Farm\
, a small family farm and CSA that grows vegetables and culinary herbs usi
ng traditional farming practices. For over ten years they have grown local
produce for Berkshire County families. Their vegetables are grown using e
nvironmentally sustainable gardening practices\, and they produce amazingl
y top-quality\, delicious produce. Both Jen and Peter are committed to rai
sing awareness about the importance of the local food supply\, along with
teaching technical information on how to do so. They have lectured on grow
ing food for both NOFA and other regional organizations.